ARCHIVE : January, 2014

WTF Episodes

Music journalist Marc Spitz touched a raw nerve with Marc, thanks to his memoir “Poseur.” The two Marcs share more than a name. They share a compulsion for the drugs, the grit and the rock and roll allure of New York City before the new millennium. Spitz says it all led to a character he created for himself while working as a writer for Spin Magazine - a character that was almost his undoing. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, Audible and Squarespace.

Comedian Simon Amstell is British but has a shockingly large amount in common with Marc. They both have complicated relationships with their Jewishness, they both encountered problems being honest about their families, they both struggled with early jobs in television. Heck, they both even hosted the same game show. Simon and Marc discuss these similarities and one big difference. This episode is sponsored by NatureBox and by Stamps.com.

Harry Dean Stanton is known to audiences around the world for his roles in more than 200 films and television shows. But, as Marc finds out while trying to conduct an interview with the great character actor, it may not be possible to really know Harry. For some assistance, Marc enlists documentary filmmaker Sophie Huber to see if she can help make sense of the enigma that is Harry Dean Stanton. This episode is sponsored by Comedy Central, Earthquaker Devices and GoToMeeting by Citrix.

Marc brings WTF to the LA Podfest and goes head-to-head with some of the top hosts in the podcast community. Jimmy Pardo from Never Not Funny, Aisha Tyler from Girl on Guy, Paul Gilmartin from The Mental Illness Happy Hour, Dave Anthony from Walking the Room and Dana Gould from The Dana Gould Hour are all on board, plus a cameo from Jake Johannsen. Also, Marc shares a personal story of getting a little too close to one of his listeners. This episode is sponsored by Squarespace, LegalZoom and Stamps.com.

Patrick Stickles, frontman of Titus Andronicus, brings his punk rock style to the garage for a conversation about rules and rule breaking, the Rolling Stones versus Led Zeppelin, and why rock and roll is a dying artform. Marc and Patrick also discuss mental health and how the things that torture us are also the things that allow us to create. This episode is sponsored by Domino Records, featuring Arctic Monkeys’ new album AM, by Hover and by NatureBox.

Ed Begley, Jr. has been in a lot of movies and TV shows, but he’s also lived a lot of lives. Ed tells Marc about his wild days in the 1970s when he was running around the hills of Hollywood with fellow party animals like Jack Nicholson and Harry Dean Stanton. They also talk about Ed’s devotion to the environment, which he has worked hard to protect, even when he spent most of his time doing harm to himself. This episode is sponsored by LegalZoom, Stamps.com and GoToMeeting.

Will Forte had given up on thoughts of becoming an actor when he settled down into a successful career as a television comedy writer for several hit shows. Will tells Marc how he got roped back into the performance world, what led to a completely pressure-free audition for Saturday Night Live, and why he never seriously believed he would get a role in Alexander Payne’s new film Nebraska. Today’s episode is sponsored by Hover and by Slingbox.

Andy Samberg says he’ll probably be most remembered for “D*** in a Box,” and that’s okay by him. Marc talks with the former SNL cast member to find out about the other things he’ll be remembered for, including his Lonely Island collaborations, his films and his new television show. Plus, Andy tells Marc why pro-wrestling is responsible for his devotion to SNL. This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker, Stamps.com and LegalZoom.

The fact that Artie Lange is sitting in the garage with Marc is a miracle. Artie talks about his bumpy road back from heroin addiction and a violent suicide attempt, which happened at a time when his star was burning brightest. He tells Marc what his recovery means for his health, his career and his relationships with others in his life, including Howard Stern. This episode is sponsored by NatureBox and by Squarespace.